Unlocked Keeper of the Lost Cities #8.5 by Shannon Messenger Adventure Fantasy Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) “Unlocked” by Shannon Messenger contains files on the characters in KOTLC, along with exclusive illustrations, records, and much more. There is a short, 400- page novel at the end of the book. As some of the last books in the series have had a sort of downward trend, I wasn’t sure what to think … Read more
The Vanderbeekers: Lost and Found Vanderbeekers #4 by Karina Yan Glaser Adventure Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Why wouldn’t you love this book? The Vanderbeekers crash through the pages of this book, pulling their readers in with them as they have yet another adventure. The book starts off with the Vanderbeekers getting ready for a marathon that Mr. Beiderman is going to run in. One of the reasons why … Read more
Max & the Midnights: Battle of the Bodkins Max & the Midnights #2 by Lincoln Peirce Adventure Fantasy Funny Illustrated Fiction Juvenile Fiction Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) Max and her friends are back in this second Midknights book. They’ve all started down the paths to their future careers – Max is in knight school, Millie is learning magic, Kevyn is starting a Library, and Simon has discovered he has a gift with … Read more
Wildwood Wildwood #1 by Colin Meloy Adventure Fantasy Mystery Review #1 * Star (A waste of time!) While this book is well written, it was not my favorite. There is a sense of black magic woven throughout the whole book. And the antagonist is erring into the category of a sadistic villain. The antagonist takes pleasure in lying and twisting words so that other characters in the book will be lead astray by her. She … Read more
The Tea Dragon Tapestry Tea Dragon Society #3 by Katie O’Neill Fantasy Graphic Novel Juvenile Fiction Teen Tween * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Characters come together from the two previous books (The Tea Dragon Society and The Tea Dragon Festival) and continue to learn more about themselves and their tea dragons. Beautifully illustrated (the tea dragons themselves are so adorable!). Love the sense of love, community, and acceptance in these books. They just … Read more
Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte & Ann Xu Graphic Novel Juvenile Fiction Realistic Fiction Tween * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) When Cici’s family moves from Taiwan to Seattle, Cici is worried about adjusting to life in a new place, but her transition is pretty seamless. She makes friends right away and does well in school. Her parents work long hours, though, and they all miss A-má (Cici’s grandma/father’s mother) who stayed behind in … Read more
Max & the Midknights #1 by Lincoln Peirce Adventure Fantasy Funny Illustrated fiction Juvenile Fiction Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) Max has no desire to be a troubadour like Uncle Budrick, but kids always end up following in the footsteps/trades of their families, so it seems inevitable. That all changes when they visit Byjovia – the kingdom where Budrick grew up and discover that the good and benevolent king has been supplanted by … Read more
Class Act sequel to New Kid by Jerry Craft Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) It’s a new year and students have returned to Riverdale Academy Day School for more adventures. The school is attempting to be more diverse and to bring awareness about and sensitivity to issues surrounding diversity. Some of these endeavors are more successful than others. Jordan Banks, who featured prominently in Jerry Craft’s previous book, “New … Read more
Tune It Out by Jamie Sumner Juvenile Fiction Realistic Fiction Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) 12-year-old Louise Montgomery can sing like the angels, but she has a sensory processing disorder that makes her extremely sensitive to noises and crowds, so performing is a real problem. Her single mother keeps scheduling gigs, though, because they need the money. One night, Louise crashes their truck on her way to pick her mom up from work … Read more
Write to Me by Cynthia Grady Illustrations by Amiko Hirao Juvenile Nonfiction Picture book * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Clara Breed was a librarian in San Diego during WWII. When her young Japanese patrons were relocated to internment camps, she gave them postcards and encouraged them to write to her. Their letters helped her learn about their situation/conditions in the camps, and she was able to send them books and other items (soap, … Read more